Gospel Parade

A new gospel album from Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver isn't much of a surprise — Lawson's groups have been recording gospel and secular albums in about a two-to-one ratio since the 1980s. But this is the first that departs so completely from the traditional bluegrass format. Although the album opens and closes with standard-issue bluegrass arrangements (guitar, banjo, mandolin, high mountain harmonies, etc.) just about everything in between comes from a very different tradition. "Gloryland Boogie" finds the group testifying in rich four-part harmony, accompanied by rollicking piano; "I Heard Zion Moan" harks back explicitly to the great black gospel quartets of the 1950s; "He Knows How Much You Can Bear" brings back the piano-and-quartet arrangement. Those who love bluegrass-gospel music mainly for its bluegrass component will be disappointed by this album, but those whose taste for the gospel tradition ranges a bit more widely will find much to love here.